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Thai election process in disarray

Samantha HawleyUpdated
Tue 28 Jan 2014, 9:26 AM AEDT

Thailand's Election Commission will today push to have this Sunday's general election delayed. The plan is to have the poll postponed for three to four months. Pre-poll voting on the weekend was obstructed by violence with a million people unable to exercise their right to vote because of anti-government protests.

Transcript

TONY EASTLEY: Thailand's election process is in such disarray after massive protests and bloodshed that the nation's Election Commission will today push to have this Sunday's general election delayed.

South East Asia correspondent, Samantha Hawley prepared this report.

(Sound of music from protests)

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: As protestors march the streets, an outsider would think a festival is underway. But since October last year 10 people have been killed and close to 600 have been injured.

(Sound of Khun Somchai speaking)

I sit down for a rare chat with a member of the nation's Election Commission.

Khun Somchai wants the election due on Sunday delayed for three to four months and the opposition, which has so far said it will boycott the poll, to participate.

He along with other members of the Commission will argue that case when they sit down with members of the government later today.

"The election can be postponed to another day", he says, "but injuries and deaths we cannot bring back."

(to Khun Somchai)

If you allow elections not to proceed because of bloodshed or violence, doesn't that damage democracy?

"If you ask me to choose between democracy and people's lives I choose people's lives", he says.

The Election Commission says 1 million Thai people were blocked from pre-poll or advanced voting after protestors blockaded polling booths on Sunday.

(Sound of Thai celebrity speaking)

This woman is a Thai celebrity and former game show host. She's a member of the pro-government Red Shirts.

"The protests on Bangkok streets", she says "are about seizing power, about changing the government", and that's something she won't tolerate. Many others, too, are ready to fight for democracy.

(Sound of music from protests)

The Government has so far said it won't delay the poll until protestors abandon Bangkok's streets.